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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Barclays Fund Security Alert" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barclayswealthonline@administrativos.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2011 07:01:03 +0100
Subject: BARCLAYS BANK FUND SECURITY ALERT:- ARE YOU AWARE OF THIS?

Barclays Bank PLC,
Address: 1 Churchill Place,
London, E14 5HP
Tel.: +44 7031996118
E-mail: barclayswealthonline@administrativos.com
 
 
ATTENTION: ARE YOU AWARE?
 
 
Are you dead or alive? The reason for this question is sequel to an email that we received from one Mrs. Jane H. Sky - stating that she is a very good friend of yours, and according to the details of her letter; you and your family were victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake during your holiday that year. Mrs. Jane H. Sky has made this bank to know that you were rushed to a hospital by the Indian redcross service but you only lasted for only 3-4 days and during these days, you made a call to your personal attorney and demanded him to change the name of your next of kin to hers and also give her a power of attorney document(a Legal Letter of Authorization) that will empower her as your next of kin to receive your fund valued the total sum of $17,187,000.00 only, which was deposited to this bank in your name by the Fideuram Bank (Monaco) under the instructions of the International Centre for Settlement of Contracts & Investments Disputes (ICSID).
 
 
Below is the link that Mrs. Jane H. Sky referred this bank to for clarification. If you are alive, you can view the link:
 
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2010xkbv.php#details
 
We have informed Mrs. Jane H. sky that $17,187,000.00 only has been approved by the Board of this bank for immediate payment to you but/and we have to carry out some investigations to confirming her information. In addition, this bank has been in correspondence to the Fideuram Bank to apprising them of the letter from Mrs. Jane H. Sky, and the management of Fideuram Bank has mandated us to investigate the letter properly with a zero degree tolerance before proceeding with the payment to Mrs. Jane H. Sky into the below receiving account that she has submitted to this bank to facilitate her claims:
 
 
Wells Fergos
2075 S. Victoria Ave
Ventura , CA 93003
Acct. name: Jane & Co.
Acct Number: 1951204345
 
 
Finally, we have informed Mrs. Jane H. Sky that we shall call back on her after 5 bank working days the authenticity of her claims. If you are alive, we oblige you to confirm it to this bank without delay after reading this message because if no response is received from you by the end of the 5 bank working days, we shall assume that you are dead and that the claims of Mrs. Jane H. Sky are correct and thus; proceed with the payment of the $17,187,000.00 only into the above account that she has presented to this bank.
 
Yours faithfully,
Ms. Helen Kelly.
Head of Foreign Transfer Department,
Barclays Bank, London.

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